ION Harbour by Simon Rogan is the first restaurant in Maltese history to receive two Michelin stars, a year after chef and restaurateur, Simon Rogan, took the helm at the restaurant.
The achievement adds to the six other Michelin Stars Simon Rogan’s restaurants hold worldwide (L’Enclume ***, Rogan & Co *, Aulis London *, Roganic Hong Kong *), and two Michelin Green Stars at L’Enclume and Roganic Hong Kong.
Since taking over stewardship of the restaurant in March 2023, Simon, alongside Executive Chef Oli Marlow, has made it his mission to share and adapt his renowned farm-to-table ethos, perfected at three Michelin-starred L’Enclume.
The menu at ION Harbour is strongly guided by hyperlocal, seasonal ingredients that are harvested, fished and foraged by the best, ethical and sustainable local producers. From the moment ingredients are sourced to the final presentation on the plate, every aspect of the restaurant’s operations reflects their deep-rooted ethos of environmental responsibility and ethical sourcing.
The team works to identify the very best and most aligned suppliers, working with experts and insiders to discover small-scale, sustainable producers and growers. They also work with ION Harbour’s Head of Sustainability, Keith Abela, a specialist forager and university lecturer who assists with the identification of wild plants and the restaurant’s preservation programme.
As in Simon’s other restaurants, the commitment to sustainability extends well beyond the ION Harbour kitchen, with the bar team working with the chefs to utilise surplus ingredients that would otherwise go to waste, such as peels, stalks and stems.
“Receiving news that ION Harbour has received two Michelin Stars today is, without a doubt, one of the highlights of my career so far. My team and I arrived here just over a year ago, knowing that we wanted to bring something different to the island’s restaurant scene, continuing to share the farm-to-table ethos we are known for globally,” the chef stated.
“Most importantly, we wanted to ensure we worked as closely as possible with the suppliers and the produce on this beautiful island, whilst keeping sustainable practices front of mind. I am so proud of what we have achieved here so far, alongside my Executive Chef Oli Marlow and the Iniala and ION Harbour team.”
ION Harbour by Simon Rogan forms part of the award-winning hotel Iniala Harbour House.
